Ruby&Ruch

When we decided to get married (a mere 16 weeks after we first met), we had a brief discussion about where (England or France) and agreed that if it were possible then we would much prefer that it took place in France.

So we pootled off to see Laurence down at the Mairie, just to see if it was possible to get married in the village.  ‘Bien sur’ she said “when do you want to do it?’

I leapt into the breach and suggested (gulp) ‘Juillet?’.

‘Bien sur’ she said again ‘when, in July?’.

‘Is it possible to do it on a Saturday?’, I asked, wondering if she might say ‘non’ or ‘arrete’!’.

But – ‘Bien sur’ again – which Saturday?

The 26th appears to be the latest Saturday available in July so let’s go for that.

“Bien sur”. And it is written in ink into the diary.

We returned home with a list of documents and evidence that we would need to provide in the coming months, and retreated to our own solitary places in the house to contemplate what we had done.   If there had been cartoons drawn of us, the caption above our heads would have read ‘WTF??’.

And on we went.   Told everyone that was the weekend we were plannin’ on marryin’ and asked them to book local chambres d’hôtes.

I booked in my bridesmaids – best friend Andrew and his best mate David.    You will hear more about them.

Ok then – we’re off.    Now to assemble ‘le dossier’.

When you finally get married, the official Napoleonic code requires that the first words uttered by M le Maire at the ceremony are ‘we have assembled all the necessary documents…’.  Not veryromantic but entirely reflective of the hours and sodding hours you have spent on the undertaking, for both of you you need proof of residence, existence, birth, heritage, children, parentage plus similar for your witnesses.   I was eventually reduced to tears by the EDF English speaking line.  EDF is France’s main bureaucratic means of proving you exist, so the jobsworths on the line wield their power like Nazis.   Expect no mercy or understanding.  In the end I took my pre wedding hysterical face off to Laurence at the Mairie who kindly rang them herself and sorted out what we needed.

So, the great day approaches.  Naturally the dress I had ordered off the internet was a totally disastrous non fitting monstrosity, so I had two weeks to order a new one which arrived in the uk when I was in France and then despite best efforts of saintly Ruth in Angleterre did not get delivered to France,  resulting in a hysterical phone message being left (ok, by me) at La Poste regarding mon robe de mariage.   I had to wear my third best dress, from Debenhams.   It looked ok I suppose but not what I wanted.  Girls – get your act together on the dress – it’s important.

The actual wedding was performed by M le Maire, Jean-Claude and assisted by Laurence.  We also had the Chief Bridesmaid, Andrew, translating it all, including an unscripted speech by Jean Claude saying how welcome we were – truly wonderful

After it was all over, we went back to our house for a glass of champagne before our wedding lunch.   

It was the start of a perfect day.